


you just have to listen

by dragonryder94



Series: Star Wars Vingettes [4]
Category: Original Work, Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: F/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28665069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonryder94/pseuds/dragonryder94
Summary: there's a million ways to say i love you
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)
Series: Star Wars Vingettes [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059923





	1. Come here. Let me fix it.

**Author's Note:**

> hey friends! thanks for stopping by! if you've not read other stuff for rizz/ola that's fine! you don't need to, but if you want to they have a whole series!

Rizz pulled his helmet off and walked down the main hallway, the only thought on his mind collapsing into his bed and sleeping for 10 hours. The group had come across the Imperial Splinter cell they’d been looking for and it had not been an easy fight. 

His armor had more than a few blaster scorches, and his right side ached from where a trooper had slammed an electrified baton into him, but he didn’t sustain any lasting injuries. 

Ola hadn’t been so lucky.

She was one of their only mainline fighters, always right in the action, so she saw most of the damage in combat. Her right shoulder had been dislocated by a death trooper grappling her from behind and wrenching her arm back. He’d heard the sickening  _ crack  _ from across the field, watched her drop to one knee with her arm hanging limp at her side. 

She hadn’t stayed down though, Ola didn’t know how to do that, whirling her head around and headbutting the trooper in the abdomen so hard it made them double over in pain. With a combination of kicks and one brutal left handed haymaker the man went down, and she collapsed next to them, clutching her arm and gritting her teeth in pain.

It had been easy enough to help her resocket her shoulder. Most of them had had experience with dislocated joints, and it had been simple to wrap an arm around her shoulder and help pop the bone back into place. It had made a terrible cracking sound when it slotted back in the socket, which was met with a relieved ground from Ola. Rizz had been glad no one else was around to see his immediate reaction to the noise. 

She was now limping along the hallway in front of him, hair an absolute wreck with her right arm in a sling. Thankfully she hadn’t been resistant to that, stubborn as she could be sometimes. Slowly she took the left turn down the hallway that led to their individual rooms. He followed behind, eyeing her to make sure she didn’t fall over and hurt herself.

The door of her room slid open and she stumbled inside. He walked up and peeked in, watching as she struggled to unscrew the cap on her canteen one handed. She finally got it open and took a gulp, wincing when she jostled her shoulder. Her hair was an absolute mess, and he could see her frown at it where it draped down her chest. The braid had been half torn out during her scuffle with the trooper and was a complete disaster. 

Ola hadn’t noticed him standing at the door yet, too fixated on trying to fix her hair with only one hand, and the sight made a smile quirk on his lips. Her brows scrunched and her lip lifted in an almost snarl when she was annoyed; it was adorable. 

He entered the room and sat on the bed, watching her for a moment before patting the mattress next to him, beckoning her closer. “Come here. Let me fix it.”

She met his eyes in the small mirror that hung over her dresser, dropping her braid and shuffling over to him. Her whole body sagged and she shifted her arm to rest her shoulder, letting the sling support it while his fingers untangled the mess she’d made.

“Didn’t think you knew how to braid hair,” she murmured. She sounded tired, and he wasn’t surprised. Ola always gave one hundred and ten percent of herself in a fight, and this time they had been extremely close to being outmatched. To have her here, warm and sleepy in his arms, made the anxiety in his chest unwind slightly. 

Her hair was soft in his hands, the red strands slipping through his fingers like water, and he could smell the faintest hints of jasmine and honeysuckle from her conditioning oil. Rizz reached out to grab the brush on her bedside table, carefully detangling some of the worst knots. He knew she was very particular about her hair, so he made sure to brush gently and not pull too hard, otherwise it would get frizzy. Ola hummed softly at his motions, letting her head roll back a little as he took care of her. 

“Braiding isn’t too difficult. I’ve seen you do it a hundred times, and I practiced a bit on some old cloth I found in the storage room.”

She looked over her shoulder at him, eyes tired but bright. “You practiced?”

His cheeks flushed and he nodded. It wasn’t something he’d been planning on showing her, he just figured it was a useful skill to have. Braiding had lots of practical uses. But he would be lying to himself if he tried to say that the surprised look on her face didn’t make his stomach flutter with pride.

Ola smiled at him and turned back around, shivering when he carded his fingers through her hair to check for tangles. He couldn’t stop himself from circling his thumbs against her skull and massaging her scalp before he started working. She gave a low groan at the sensation and her head dropped forward at his touch. 

The room was quiet except for their breathing while he worked, twisting the red strands over and under in an alternating pattern until she had a decent - if somewhat messy - braid. Ola’s breathing slowed and her body sagged against his as she succumbed to exhaustion. 

He finished the plait with a tie and helped lay her down, careful not to jostle her arm. She sighed and turned to press her face into the pillow, a small yawn crossing her lips.

Rizz looked at her for a moment before standing and unlatching his armor and leaving himself in pants and a loose shirt. After piling it next to her desk he slipped his boots off and made his way back to the bed, reclining on the mattress. 

Ola nestled into him as soon as he was horizontal, one hand sliding up his shirt to rest against his abdomen. He smiled and reached down to grab the sheets and pull them up over their bodies. She nuzzled his neck and murmured a few words too quietly for him to hear before she went still. It never failed to make his heart skip a beat when she curled up next to him in sleep.

She was a powerful warrior, and sometimes he wondered what it could have been like if she’d been adopted into the Watch like him. If they had met as Mandalorians. Would she have wanted to join his  _ aliit _ ? Become his  _ riduur _ ? 

He supposed to an extent both of those things already happened. Ola was one of the most intense people he knew, but she was also predictable to an extent. If she had found him and chosen him in this life, he knew she would have done the same in any other.

The thought made him smile, and with that on his mind he slipped into unconsciousness.


	2. I made those for you

Ola knew the effect good food had on the soul. She knew the true happiness that came from tasting something that hadn’t been indulged in for _years_. 

So when she spotted a large jar of honey at the market she immediately knew what she wanted to do with it. 

Rizz was an open and honest man; he didn’t feel the same needs for secrets and hiding things that most people did. She knew that his favorite foods were Rancor ribs and Shaak Kebabs, but that he also had a sweet tooth and a weakness for Honeycrust cakes.

The cakes were delicious and a much loved treat all around the galaxy, but they were time consuming to bake. In order to get the right consistency for the crust and sweetness level they had to be double baked and basted with honey. Which wasn’t something she usually had the time for, considering all the reconnaissance and intelligence she was gathering on the Moff. 

It was a task she was more than happy to undertake. 

For Rizz.

He was out of the house, working a small bounty mission with Pace to get some quick money while they were staying on Tatooine. Their group had rented a large house and everyone had their own living quarters, but shared the communal kitchen and bathroom, just like on their ship. 

Alis and Quail had gone out into the city on some sort of shopping trip for spare parts. Apparently the scrap markets in Mos Espa were legendary, and Quail wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to find new components.

Gar, Jareth, and Vashli were all somewhere in the house, most likely in their respective quarters. Ola only cared about the kitchen being empty and free for her to use. After laying all the ingredients out on the counter and turning on the oven, she started to assemble the cakes.

All in all, between mixing and pouring and baking, it didn’t take her very long. The worst part of the process was the waiting; nearly half an hour per batch. She was too impatient at the end of the process and wound up burning the palm of her hand and fingers on the tray, but eventually she had a tray of twelve double baked Honeycrust cakes.

With some honey to spare, which was a nice treat.

She cleaned up the kitchen, making sure to not leave any trace of what she’d been making, before taking the cakes and jar up to her and Rizz’s room. 

Ola didn’t know how long the pair would be gone on their hunt, so she posted up in the living room on one of the couches. She threw her feet up and read through some of the intelligence she’d gathered on the Moff. Most of it was extremely tedious and boring, or information that she already knew. 

She did get a good lead on the Moff taking tea around the same time everyday in the communal officers lounge on the second floor of the main building. That would be useful for when they planned the infiltration of the compound. 

After about two hours the front door opened, showing Pace and Rizz who met her with tired eyes. She stood and stretched before setting her data pad down on the table.

“So,” she started, “how did it go?”

Rizz said nothing, moving past her without a word towards the showers at the back of the house. She turned and looked at Pace with a questioning look in her eyes.

Pace sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. 

“It wasn’t an easy job. We were trying to minimize collateral, and the target had hostages. It got … messy.” 

Ola’s shoulders deflated and she looked at the door Rizz disappeared into. He would need some space, and she understood that. She nodded at Pace and went upstairs to her and Rizz’s room.

She set the tray of cakes on the desk in the corner, and pulled out a small bottle of essential oils she bought so many months ago on Naboo. It smelled of the honey mint that grew meadows and knolls of the planet, and it was one of Rizz’s favorites of her collection.

After about twenty minutes the door opened and Rizz shuffled inside, shirtless and toweling his hair dry. She looked up at him from her spot on the bed, uncrossing her legs and walking around the bed to stand in front of him.

“Hey. Pace told me that the job didn’t go well.”

He shrugged, letting her take his hands and sit him down on the bed. 

“Okay well,” she gently traced her fingers down over his eyelids to shut them and he followed her unspoken instructions. “I have something for you. Sit tight, I’ll be right back.”

She moved to the desk and grabbed the platter, bringing it to the bedside table right next to him and crawling behind him on the bed. If she sat up on her knees it made her taller than him, which was a nice change of pace.

When the bottle of oil opened and the scent hit him out she could see his shoulders visibly relax. She poured a little out on her hands and rubbed them together to warm it before reaching out to touch him. His muscles were tight and she could feel the knots in his neck as she dug her thumbs in in a circle motion.

Leaning forward she murmured, “Open your eyes and look on the table.”

Ola knew he had followed orders when she heard his small intake of air. The sense of accomplishment she’d been feeling all day swelled in her chest when he reached out immediately for one of the cakes and took a bite. 

The sound he made was absolutely sinful, but Ola contained herself. 

He turned slightly and held the rest of the cake out for her to take but she shook her head, “No. I made those for you.”

She made wide circles on his shoulders, pressing the heel of her hand into the muscles. Rizz groaned and his head dropped forward, neck loose from her touch already. Ola grinned and lightly trailed her fingers up his neck and into his hair, scratching his scalp.

“You,” he paused and she felt the shiver that traveled up his spine. “Are extremely good at that. What brought this on?”

Another two cakes were eaten in quick succession and she shrugged, before realizing that he couldn’t see her. “Just thought about you in the market earlier when I saw the honey. It’s a treat here, and I wasn’t about to let the Jawa eyeing it up get it instead.”

Rizz nodded and ate one more cake before licking the honey off his fingers, a soft hum in his throat. Ola leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his cheek, a surprised noise escaping her when he suddenly turned and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her into his lap. He kissed her neck and she laughed at the feel of his stubble tickling the sensitive skin there. 

After a moment he pulled back and looked straight at her, eyes soft.

“Thank you. This meant a lot to me.”

Ola grinned and moved in to press a gentle kiss on his mouth. His hand moved again to grab another cake and when he held it against her lips she accepted the treat. 

She could indulge just this one time. 


	3. Sorry I'm late.

Rizz was late.

He was  _ extremely  _ late.

He should’ve been back on Naboo two full cycles ago to prepare for Life Day. 

The puck he’d accepted from the guild told him that his bounty was on Ryloth. It had not told him that the bounty lived in a compound full of partially feral Lyleks that he would need to fight through just to get to the man. Thankfully, the guild on the planet was more than happy to accept the bounty instead of making Rizz transport him all the way back to Naboo. 

He had lost the two days trekking through the jungle, barely making it onto the transport shuttle back to Naboo in time. And now he was  _ late  _ for one of the most important days of the year. 

The ship was able to dock quickly upon entering the Theed spaceport. It helped that most people were busy with their families and celebrations, but it only served to remind Rizz that he needed to find Ola. 

Briefly he contemplated heading to their apartment, but decided he was already running behind and that Ola would just have to forgive him for showing up in his armor. 

The streets were draped with colorful garlands of flowers and soft silk banners floating on the breeze. Stalls serving street food and premade wreaths dotted the main thoroughfare and the crowds were still milling about even at the late hour. Life day on Naboo was more somber during the early day, meant for remembering those who had been lost and honoring their memory. Whereas the nighttime portion of the holiday was meant for celebrating current life and bonds that were found in family and friends.

He shouldered through a group of people watching an aerial acrobatics show--the contortionists flipping and twisting nearly 20 feet up in the air to the sounds of cheers below--and continued making his way deeper into the city. 

She would be at Broadberry Meadow. It was the traditional spot to let memorial wreaths float along the Solleu and he knew she would be waiting there for him. 

He hoped. 

It took him another ten minutes to maneuver his way through the streets, the crowds of people thickening as he got closer to the center of the city. He stopped along the way to quickly buy a small batch of cherry tarts, knowing that if Ola was angry the pastries would help.

There was a small boat waiting at the docks, a ferryman standing idly by and chewing on a meat kebab. He looked at Rizz and then at his watch before shaking his head, “Nah buddy, I’m done for the night in five minuets, you’ll have to wait til tomorrow.”

Rizz interrupted him by throwing a bag with at least 200 credits in it at his chest. Upon feeling the weight of the pouch the man tucked it into a small pocket on his vest and gestured at his boat, “Very well, who am I to turn down a man willing to pay so much. Please, hop in.”

He nodded and carefully stepped into the boat, sitting and holding his box of pastries while the man used a long oar to maneuver and steer. The trip to the island took less than ten minutes, and Rizz inhaled deeply, smelling the sweet freshness of the water all around him. Once they docked he stepped out of the boat, looking back at the man and jingling the purse of coins on his hip.

“Stay for an hour and I’ll double what I just gave you.”

He nodded and tied his boat to the jetty, getting out to sit at a bench on the wharf. Rizz turned and made his way along the softly lit path towards the northern side of the island. The jasmine and honeysuckle were fragrant on the night air and he could hear the soft noises of crickets chirping all around him. 

The path opened up to a small clearing with benches and a small white sand beach. By the faint glow of the Life Day orbs he could see her, standing knee deep in the water and staring at the waterfalls that rushed over the cliff. 

She looked so beautiful. 

Her hair was down - he loved it when her hair was down - and he could see small white flowers braided into it. The dress she wore was a soft green, and almost translucent against her body from the water and the moonlight. He tried to be as quiet as possible, but he knew that she heard him as soon as he entered the area. He placed the small box of tarts on the nearest bench and unlaced his boots. After removing his beskar greaves he rolled up his pants to his knees and walked to the edge of the water. 

“I,” he cleared his throat nervously, “I’m sorry I’m late.” 

Ola turned to look at him, and he didn’t see the anger or annoyance that he’d been expecting. Her golden eyes were soft and she looked .. peaceful. More so than he had ever seen her.

She reached out and took his hand. “It’s okay. You’re here now, that’s what matters.” 

He helped her out of the water, and she led him to a small bench where he could see two separate funeral wreaths laying in wait. Rizz knew that there were premade ones sold all over the city, but could see that these had been woven by hand.

Both circles held a mix of flowers; pink carnations, red poppies, rosemary, and zinnias. Flowers for mourning and remembering. 

She picked one up and handed it to him and he could see that on a small silk ribbon attached to the ring were his parents' names. The other one held a similar ribbon with her parents on it.

Rizz felt his throat tighten briefly at the sight, and had to look away from her for a moment.

She had remembered.

He’d told her their names one drunken night  _ months  _ ago.

But she remembered and made a hand woven wreath for them. He looked at her and saw the tender expression on her face and had to lean in to kiss her. After they pulled back she smiled at him, touching his face lightly. Ola reached out for another wreath on the bench, but placed it on her head before he could look at it too closely. 

She walked back into the water to her knees and he followed, though he was only in up to her shins or so. In silence they both placed their wreaths down and watched as the current took them away. It was traditional to let the spirits and memories of the dead be carried by the Solleu and rejoin the planet. Rizz had always liked the idea, but had never taken part in Life Day directly before. 

The covert hadn’t exactly subscribed to the same type of belief as the rest of the galaxy, and it was frowned upon to take part in the activities. 

Ola leaned against him as they watched the flowers disappear on the horizon. He smiled and leaned down to press his lips against her temple. It was nice to share this with her. Rizz knew that, out of everyone they traveled with, she understood him the best. 

She hummed at the feeling of his lips and looked up at him. Slowly her hand went to the wreath on her head and she pulled it down to hold it between them. 

Looking down he could see blooms of aster, edelweiss, dwarf sunflowers, and heliotropes. Flowers of affection and devotion to one's partner. He knew exactly what releasing a wreath like this on Life Day with someone meant and so did she.

Her eyes were bright, but she looked at him with some hesitation. There was no concrete promise made through the wreath; it was all ceremonial, but it was indicative of where a relationship would grow in time.

Rizz had never felt more sure in his life. 

His hand touched hers and she moved to stand in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her waist so he could grip the wreath with her. For a moment they were still, and he marveled at the way her hands looked so small within his own. It never failed to leave him in awe of how gentle they could be, and also how dangerous. How she chose to share that gentleness with him everyday.

They both released their grips on the wreath and watched as it floated along with the current, until it was out of sight.

She leaned back against him and he smiled. He knew they would need to leave the river eventually, but for now he figured they could have this moment together. 


	4. I'll be here when you wake up.

Ola’s foot had long since fallen asleep from where she had her left leg curled under her. Her muscles were stiff and she had a lightsaber burn on her shoulder that stung like a bitch. Vashli had tried to get her into the medbay hours ago, but Ola refused to leave the room.

But she couldn’t bring herself to care. 

She couldn’t risk not being next to him when Rizz woke up. 

Ola’s chin rested on the side of the bed, one hand over his while he slept. Her eyes kept dropping but every time she felt herself nod off she jerked back awake to look at him.

She had seen him out of his armor before of course, but never like this.

He had never looked so vulnerable. So broken.

The group had come across another Sith, or maybe not a full Sith but a dark Force user, who had also found themself a contingent of Imps to control. The fight had been brutal, but nothing they hadn’t dealt with before. 

She and Rizz had been back to back, her squaring off against the Force user and him taking shots at the Imperials. The fight was going fine until she had taken a saber slash across the shoulder and he heard her cry of pain. According to Gar, a trooper saw her moment of weakness and took advantage, aiming a heavy blaster rifle at her back.

Rizz had seen the shot and stepped in front of it, and she’d turned around, horrified, to see him fall to his knees with a hole blown through his chest and coughing up blood.

Ola closed her eyes for a moment, and the only thing she could see was Rizz, on the ground. Color leaching from his face and blood on his mouth. She wrenched her eyes back open and gazed at his face. The color had slowly returned over the past few hours, but he was still much paler than normal. 

She could barely remember getting back to the ship, so preoccupied with dragging him out of the line of fire that the rest of the fight was a blur. Pace had helped her bring him to the medbay, where Vashli was waiting to patch him back together.

Their Vahla doctor was patient with her hovering, but when Ola started questioning her methods she had been kicked from the room and forced to wait in the hall. She couldn’t stop herself from pacing back and forth in the hallway to keep herself busy and not think about him lying hurt on the table. Nearly an hour after they’d brought him onto the ship Vashli had come out, wiping her bloody hands on a rag, and declaring him stable.

He had been transferred to their room so that Vashli could take care of the rest of the party, and Ola hadn’t left his side since. There was a small IV connected to a bag of fluids to keep him hydrated hanging next to the bed, and his torso was wrapped in thick bandages. The sheets were folded at his waist so Vashli had easy access when she came to check on him

Ola rubbed her thumb along the top of his hand, irrationally angry and relieved and proud all at the same time. He was so stupid for stepping in front of a bolt aimed at her, but so brave too.

She could feel her eyes slipping closed again, and her face pressed against her arm. Exhaustion was catching up with her, despite her best attempts to stay awake for him. 

A deep, wheezy inhale broke her out of the semi sleep she had fallen into and her eyes snapped open to look at Rizz. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet, but she could see them moving under the lids and his hand twitched under hers.

She sat up and gripped his hand, careful not to jostle him.

“Rizz? Can you hear me?  _ I’bataa _ ?”

His eyes fluttered open and she had never been more happy to see those green irises. Immediately he groaned and wheezed when he tried to take a deep breath. Ola unfolded her legs - ignoring the way her muscles screamed in protest - and crouched next to the head of the bed. She laid her hand on his cheek. “It’s ok, we’re back on the ship. You’re safe. Try not to breathe too deep.”

He nodded and grimaced in pain, even as he took a shallow breath.

“What,” he swallowed dryly and she brought a hydration pouch to his lips. After taking a sip he cleared his throat, “What happened?”

At his question she could feel tears well up in her eyes. She hadn’t really been able to process just how close she had come to losing him. What she really wanted to do was smack the shit out of him for almost dying, but she decided against it.

“You stepped in front of me and took a blaster bolt. I had to drag you back to the ship and Vashli saved your life. You’re a  _ fucking  _ idiot.”

He grinned at her, and she felt her hearts stop for a moment. Thinking that she might have lost this, lost  _ him _ , due to a stray shot made her more upset than she could express in words.

The grin on his face dropped when he saw her tears, though. 

Ola didn’t  _ cry _ . 

She got angry, and she yelled, and she was passionate, but she almost never cried.

Her knees touched the floor and she knelt next to the bed, gripping his hand tightly. “Please, don’t take shots meant for me. I can take them. I can’t take you going down. I  _ can’t _ lose you.”

Rizz nodded at her, face solemn even though she knew he was in pain. She reached out for the painkillers that Vashli had left, and dropped them into his hand.

“You need to take these,” she said. At his annoyed look she frowned back at him and brought the hydration pouch back to his mouth. “Take them. You need to rest so that you can heal. Doctors orders.”

“Fine. Just … I hate leaving you like this.”

Ola smiled when he took his medicine before she leaned down to press a kiss against his forehead. He leaned into it and she laughed a little.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be here when you wake up. I promise.”

He smiled and after a few minutes she heard his breathing even out as his eyes slipped shut and he fell back asleep. She picked up the chair from the corner of the room and brought it next to the bed, figuring that she should have a little more comfortable of a spot to sit in.

She’d be there for a while.


	5. We'll figure it out.

Rizz was laying in bed, idly reading from his tablet when the door to the room he shared with Ola slid open and she walked inside.

He smiled at the sight of her, but it dropped when he saw the look on her face. Slowly he sat up, placing his tablet on the bedside table. There was clear anxiety on her face when she stood near the bed, cracking her knuckles. She always did that when she was nervous or upset so it set him on edge immediately. 

“Hey,” he murmured. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and took the hand he offered out to her. He gave a reassuring squeeze and rubbed his thumb along her knuckles, “What’s wrong?”

Ola turned to look at him and took a deep breath before she sat on the bed and faced him fully. She tangled their fingers together and looked at the sheets. He could tell something was on her mind.

“I’m late.”

Her eyes met his and he titled his head in confusion. Ola’s face flushed slightly; she brushed her free hand against her lower abdomen and emphasized her words.

“I’m  _ late _ .” 

Rizz looked at her for another moment before it clicked. Oh. 

_ Oh _ .

Immediately he felt his own eyes widen and he couldn’t stop himself from just staring at her belly. He could hear her speaking in the background, but he wasn’t really processing her words.

“- usually I bleed after my heat cycle, but it’s been two weeks and I’m just freaking out a little bit right now. I’m not ready to be a mother; we’re fighting a Sith Lord and a newly force capable Moff, who are bent on bending the Galaxy to their will. I don’t know if you want kids, I even don’t know if  _ I  _ want kids, and I’m just losing my mind -”

Before she could continue he reached his arms forward to enfold her into a hug. She clutched her hands in his shirt, and buried her face into the crook of his neck. Slowly he laid them down, arranging her so that she was draped across his chest and he could rub her back while she calmed down.

“Is this … are children something that you .. want?” he questioned a little while later, when she was lying quietly against him. She shrugged and continued tracing patterns on his shirt for a moment before replying.

“I mean. Maybe? Yes. I’ve just haven’t put much thought into it, to be honest. I never thought I’d find someone that I would  _ want  _ to have kids with.”

She looked up at him shyly, a soft blush on her cheeks. 

“This is never how I imagined this conversation happening between us, I’ll be honest.”

Rizz felt his stomach flip and tapped his fingers on her shoulder lightly. Children. He’d never really thought about it before. Being a Mandalorian, he always expected that if he did have kids they would be adopted - foundlings. He’d never had a partner like Ola before, so having a biological child hadn’t ever crossed his mind.

“You imagined us talking about this?”

Ola flushed a deeper red and nodded.

“You … you know how much you mean to me, Rizz. If we both come away from this whole debacle alive … and if you would have me … I can’t imagine anyone else I’d want to have a family with.”

Rizz looked at her, speechless. Ola’s eyes closed when he leaned in and pressed a kiss against her forehead, before she arranged herself into a more comfortable position and he slung an arm around her waist. His lips barely left her skin as he murmured, “We’ll figure this out. Promise.”

She nodded and sighed in relief. He felt her smile into his neck and reached down to take her hand in his. As they laid there in silence he let his mind wander. Thought about things he’d never even contemplated before.

He could see a house in Naboo, maybe in Theed. Maybe somewhere in the country. Definitely on a lake or river. There was a big garden in the front, full of millaflowers and jasmine and honeysuckle. Two small children ran up the garden path, giggling and playing. 

A boy and a girl. 

The little girl had dark brown hair, braided down her back and golden eyes.

The boy had a tangle of dark red curls and green eyes.

Rizz and Ola were seated on a bench, taking in the afternoon sun. Her belly was big and clearly held their third child, with his hand resting protectively over the bump. She leaned on him, talking animatedly and moving her hands in emphasis while he listened intently.

Nines was visible in the background, pulling weeds with disdain, but dutifully he completed his job.

The two little ones ran up to the pair and climbed into Rizz’s lap, hanging off his arms and shrieking in delight when he stood with both of them hanging off his biceps. Ola laughed, her eyes bright with happiness at the sight, and she softened when she made eye contact with him.

A soft snore broke Rizz out of his daydream, Ola officially unconscious in his arms. He smiled at her and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face. The gentle touch made her snuffle and she pressed closer against him, slotting one thigh in between his own to get comfortable in sleep.

Children had never been something he’d needed to think about before. Never had someone in his life that it would have made sense to go down that road with. Ola was always throwing a wrench in his plans, it seemed, but he didn’t mind. 

Hours later she woke up and went to the bathroom to find blood in her underwear. He held her on the bed while she cried, providing silent comfort and support. She accepted it gratefully. They might have been tears of relief or tears of sadness, but he wasn’t sure. Maybe a little bit of both. 

Either way, he knew that whatever happened they would face it together.


End file.
